1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cleat. More particularly, this invention relates to a cleat comprising a plurality of protrusions arranged to hold two or more structural members together.
2. Background
Structural members, such as clapboards used for siding, have a natural tendency to expand and contract when exposed to ambient temperatures. This expansion and contraction proves problematic over time as the contraction creates large spaces between the clapboards, thereby exposing the underlying structural elements to the environment, and increasing the likelihood of structural damage to the structural elements, and the expansion creates stress on abutting clapboards, thereby contributing to the structural damage of the clapboards. Therefore, what is needed is a tying member or cleat that can hold two or more structural members together, such that when the structural members expand or contract, the members expand or contract as a cohesive unit, thereby reducing the overall stress to which the structural members are exposed, and, therefore increasing the longevity of both the structural members and the underlying structural elements which the structural members are designed to cover and protect.